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Soul diva Adele wins big at Brit Awards

Published: 22 February 2012

Just over a week after her spectacular sweep at the Grammys, soul diva Adele triumphed on home soil at the annual Brit Awards in London.

The 23-year-old picked up two awards -- including the prestigious British album of the year -- to add to the six Grammys she won in Los Angeles, cementing her status as one of Britain's most successful pop exports in years.

Adele -- whose career was threatened last year by a throat illness -- claimed British female solo artist and best album for "21," which topped the charts in Britain and the United States.

Accepting the best album gong, she said: "Nothing makes me prouder than coming home with six Grammys and then coming home and winning British album of the year.

"I'm so proud to be British and to be flying the flag."

The singer also thanked her record company "for letting me be the kind of artist that I've always wanted to be," and her fans. "No one's ever made me feel like I have to be any different, so thank you very much," she added.

However, her global chart-topper "Rolling at the Deep" was beaten to best single by British boy band One Direction's "What Makes You Beautiful."

The home-town winner sang her hit song in front of a packed 02 Arena, only her second performance since undergoing surgery to cure her throat condition.

Fans were shocked to read a post-Grammys interview in which the soul diva said she was taking five years off to "be in love and be happy." But the singer later laughed this off.

Writing in her personal blog shortly afterwards, she said: "I've a few days off now, and then it's the Brit Awards here at home and then I'm straight into the studio. BOYYAHH! 5 years? More like 5 days!"

It was also a successful night for folk-inspired singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran, who won best British male and British breakthrough, and for Coldplay, who were named best British group for a record third time.

US singer Bruno Mars topped the best international male category, while compatriots Foo Fighters picked up the best international group.

Barbadian superstar Rihanna -- who was awarded best international female -- was among the performers along with former Oasis songwriter Noel Gallagher and Coldplay.

Veteran four-piece Blur brought the ceremony to a close with breezy renditions of 1990s indie classics "Girls and Boys," "Song 2" and "Parklife."

AFP, photo: adele.tv

Soul diva Adele wins big at Brit Awards

02/22 | 07:37 GMT

LONDON (AFP) - Just over a week after her spectacular sweep at the Grammys, soul diva Adele triumphed on home soil at the annual Brit Awards in London.

LONDON (AFP) - Just over a week after her spectacular sweep at the Grammys, soul diva Adele triumphed on home soil at the annual Brit Awards in London.

The 23-year-old picked up two awards -- including the prestigious British album of the year -- to add to the six Grammys she won in Los Angeles, cementing her status as one of Britain's most successful pop exports in years.

Adele -- whose career was threatened last year by a throat illness -- claimed British female solo artist and best album for "21," which topped the charts in Britain and the United States.

Accepting the best album gong, she said: "Nothing makes me prouder than coming home with six Grammys and then coming home and winning British album of the year.

"I'm so proud to be British and to be flying the flag."

The singer also thanked her record company "for letting me be the kind of artist that I've always wanted to be," and her fans. "No one's ever made me feel like I have to be any different, so thank you very much," she added.

However, her global chart-topper "Rolling at the Deep" was beaten to best single by British boy band One Direction's "What Makes You Beautiful."

The home-town winner sang her hit song in front of a packed 02 Arena, only her second performance since undergoing surgery to cure her throat condition.

Fans were shocked to read a post-Grammys interview in which the soul diva said she was taking five years off to "be in love and be happy." But the singer later laughed this off.

Writing in her personal blog shortly afterwards, she said: "I've a few days off now, and then it's the Brit Awards here at home and then I'm straight into the studio. BOYYAHH! 5 years? More like 5 days!"

It was also a successful night for folk-inspired singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran, who won best British male and British breakthrough, and for Coldplay, who were named best British group for a record third time.

US singer Bruno Mars topped the best international male category, while compatriots Foo Fighters picked up the best international group.

Barbadian superstar Rihanna -- who was awarded best international female -- was among the performers along with former Oasis songwriter Noel Gallagher and Coldplay.

Veteran four-piece Blur brought the ceremony to a close with breezy renditions of 1990s indie classics "Girls and Boys," "Song 2" and "Parklife."

UK News

Soul diva Adele wins big at Brit ...

Stem cell implants boost monkeys with Parkinson's

02/22 | 08:54 GMT

TOKYO (AFP) - Monkeys suffering from Parkinson's disease show a marked improvement when human embryonic stem cells are implanted in their brains, in what a Japanese researcher said Wednesday was a world first.

TOKYO (AFP) - Monkeys suffering from Parkinson's disease show a marked improvement when human embryonic stem cells are implanted in their brains, in what a Japanese researcher said Wednesday was a world first.

A team of scientists transplanted the stem cells into four primates that were suffering from the debilitating disease.

The monkeys all had violent shaking in their limbs -- a classic symptom of Parkinson's disease -- and were unable to control their bodies, but began to show improvements in their motor control after about three months, Kyoto University associate professor Jun Takahashi told AFP.

About six months after the transplant, the creatures were able to walk around their cages, he said.

"Clear improvements were confirmed in their movement," he said.

Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurological illness linked to a decrease in dopamine production in the brain. There is currently no medical solution to this drop off in a key neurotransmitter.

The condition, which generally affects older people, gained wider public recognition when Hollywood actor Michael J. Fox revealed he was a sufferer.

Takahashi said at the time of the implant about 35 percent of the stem cells had already grown into dopamine neuron cells, with around 10 percent still alive after a year.

He said he wants to improve the effectiveness of the treatment by increasing the survival rate of dopamine neuron cells to 70 percent.

"The challenge before applying it to a clinical study is to raise the number of dopamine neuron cells and to prevent the development of tumours," he said.

"I would like to make this operation more effective and safe" before clinical trials, Takahashi said.

Takahashi said so far he had used embryonic stem cells, which are harvested from foetuses, but would likely switch to so-called Induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) cells, which are created from human skin, for the clinical trial.

His team, which has also transplanted iPS cells into monkeys, are now looking to see if the primates with Parkinson's disease show similar improvements in their motor control.

Scientists say the use of human embryonic stem cells as a treatment for cancer and other diseases holds great promise, but the process has drawn fire from religious conservatives, among others.

Opponents say harvesting the cells, which have the potential to become any cell in the human body, is unethical because it involves the destruction of an embryo.

The Japanese government currently has no guidelines on the use of human stem cells in clinical research.

In October last year, the Court of Justice of the European Union banned the patenting of stem cells when their extraction causes the destruction of a human embryo, a ruling that could have repercussions on medical research.

Scientists warned that the ruling would damage stem cell research in Europe, while the Catholic church hailed it as a victory for the protection of human life.

Health/Medicine

Stem cell implants boost monkeys with ...

Terry blow means Chelsea defence must be 'reorganised'

02/22 | 03:46 GMT

NAPLES, Italy (AFP) - The news that John Terry will likely be out for six weeks due to the need for exploratory knee surgery means Chelsea will have to reorganise their defence, admitted manager Andre Villas-Boas.

NAPLES, Italy (AFP) - The news that John Terry will likely be out for six weeks due to the need for exploratory knee surgery means Chelsea will have to reorganise their defence, admitted manager Andre Villas-Boas.

Without Terry the back four the Chelsea defence -- in particular centre-backs David Luiz and Gary Cahill -- was a shambles in the 3-1 second round, first leg defeat to Napoli.

Chelsea will have to try to turn that deficit around at Stamford Bridge in three weeks' time but to have any chance of doing so they would probably need to keep a clean sheet, something which doesn't look likely without Terry.

Defensive midfielder Raul Meireles was at fault for the first goal, right-back Bransilav Ivanovic was out of position for the second and Luiz made a howler for the third.

"We have to focus on reorganising this relationship between this back four that we have recently used," said Villas-Boas, who will find himself increasingly under pressure in the unforgiving English press this week.

"I have to agree that you have to solve the mistakes which you do at the back so you can profit better from the number of opportunities you have and the goals you score.

"We need to get this concentration right and this efficiency right that's for sure.

"Without John we were missing a very important player for the team.

"We have fit players and we have to continue to work with them to get it right.

"The first two Napoli goals we had more numbers and we were more organised and if we can concentrate more we can avoid conceding those."

As for Terry, the Portuguese boss is hoping his absence will be only for a month but admits it will likely be longer.

That means he is set to miss the return leg and a crucial chunk of the season, including their FA Cup fifth round replay away to Birmingham City.

"Four weeks would be excellent, we'll have to wait to see how the operation goes and hope the player can return within that frame of time but normally it's for six weeks," said Villas-Boas.

It means that young Brazilian Luiz, so composed on the ball but often lacking in focus and concentration when performing defensive duties, will continue in the heart of defence.

Villas-Boas insists he has faith in his player, despite the press critcism of his performances.

"That player becomes a target but if you suffer three goals you can (all) do much better," the Chelsea boss said.

"We'll assess the mistakes and try to correct them, he's a fantastic young player, he's got a great future ahead of him and we have to continue to work on him to improve.

The young manager opted for a midfield combination of Meireles and Ramires with the experienced Frank Lampard warming the bench until 20 minutes from time.

England's Ashley Cole was also overlooked at left-back on his return from injury, although he came on after just 12 minutes due to an injury to Jose Bosingwa.

"It's technical decisions, whatever explanation that I give you in the end it would be a fantastic explanation if we win the game," said Villas-Boas in defence.

"Any explanation I give you is useless with regard to the result of the game, there's no point.

"Regarding the formation with the two sitting midfielders we chose tonight was to have two hard working midfielders to sit in front of the defence, not that Lamps can't do it, for sure he can but that's not the decision we took."

As for his own future Villas-Boas was adamant that he will keep going whatever is written about him.

"Speculation will continue as results don't happen but it won't be a distraction."